Delphi’s CEO says ignition switch flaw is GM’s responsibility

During the fourth Congressional hearing in relation to GM’s safety debacle over the ignition switch issue, the CEO of the auto parts supplier responsible for the production of the part was also present to testify.

According to the CEO of Delphi Automotive – an independent auto parts maker today, but once a subsidiary of General Motors – the automaker is totally responsible for the part. That’s because the company approved the final design of the defective switch, so far linked to 54 crashes and 13 deaths.

“GM knowingly approved a final design that included less torque than the original target,” said Rodney O’Neal, testifying in front of the US Congress. “In our view, that approval established the final specification.” In the end, Delphi made “the switch that GM approved and wanted.”

Since the February recall that covered 2.6 million cars, mostly older Chevrolet Cobalts and Saturn Ions, General Motors discovered and recalled millions of other models that had different designs of the switch – some of them linked to further fatalities.

Delphi’s CEO added that currently the parts maker has four production lines dedicated to the replacement of the defective ignition switches. So far, the company already delivered to GM one million replacement kits and should reach two million before September.